This invention relates to a power assisted gear shift mechanism for a manual transmission and a transmission having such a gear shift mechanism.
In a conventional manual transmission, the operator is able to select a particular gear or torque path through the transmission by operating a gear lever. This operates a mechanism to act physically on the appropriate synchroniser within the gearbox to provide the desired gear. The operator has to apply sufficient force to the gear lever to enable the clutches in the synchroniser to operate effectively. In some cases, this can require a long gear lever to provide the driver with the appropriate mechanical advantage to apply sufficient force to synchromesh clutches, resulting in the operator having to move the lever over the greater distance. A long gear lever thus provides a noticeable delay in the gear being selected, due to the greater distance over which the lever is moved by the operator.
An aim of the invention is to reduce or overcome one or more of the above problems.